Easy Recipes: Party Snacks
SNACKS
Honey-Nut Cheese Spread:
Coarsely chop nuts in a food processor. Add room-temperature cream cheese and honey and pulse until barely mixed, or chop by hand and stir together. Serve with bagel chips or crackers.
Tuna-and-Caper Spread:
Combine drained tuna and half a stick of butter in the food processor. Stir in capers as desired. Serve on crackers.
Quick-and-Mini Pizzas:
Spread pasta sauce on a piece of bread and sprinkle chopped pepperoni and shredded cheese on top. Bake in a toaster oven for 10 minutes or in a 400° oven for 10 minutes. Cut into squares.
Marinated Olives:
Marinate olives in extra virgin olive oil, crushed red pepper and grated lemon peel.
Black Bean, Red Onion and Corn Salsa:
Combine rinsed black beans, chopped red onion, thawed frozen corn, chopped canned chiles (pickled jalapeños are best) and a little extra virgin olive oil. Serve with carrot and celery sticks or tortilla chips.
ON-HAND CHECK LISTS
Already On-Hand:
Frozen fruit
Frozen veggies
Butter
Cream cheese
Bacon
Lemon
Limes
Carrots
Celery
Crushed red pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
Hot pepper sauce
Canned/jarred chiles
Pasta sauce
Canned tuna
Honey
Nuts
ADD THESE PARTY INGREDIENTS:
Cocktail olives
Cocktail onions
Assorted crackers
Capers
Pepperoni
Bread
Bagel chips
Shredded cheese
ON-HAND BAR:
Tonic water
Soda water
Cola
Tomato juice
Orange juice
Cranberry juice
Ice
BASIC ALCOHOL:
Wine
Beer
Vodka
Gin
EXTRA ALCOHOL:
Scotch
Bourbon
Whiskey
Rum
Tequila
Sweet and dry vermouth
ON-HAND EXTRAS:
Napkins
Plates
Glasses
Stirring straws
Bottle opener
Wine opener
Candles